Apparatus for superheating steam.



E. A. GEOGHEGAN. APPARATUS FOR SUPERHEATING STEAM.

. APPLICATION IIijLED APR. 25, 1911. 1,072,598.

Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

- clarethe following to be a full, clear, and

tact therewith, and the residue is inthenature of hydrogen gas which will-quickly volatilize lubricating agents, and is highly explosive when exposed to a flame or spark.

7 diameter than thertube which supplies the moderate intensity, which-acts only upon with the inner surfaces of thewalls of the 5 rect contact with the heated surfaces of the Spcclflcation of Application filed April 25,

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, EmvAm) A. (incomeoan, a citizen of Great Britain, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Super-heating Steam; and I do hereby deexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertai'ns to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference remitted thereon, forming part of this specificatib-n.

My invention relates to improvements in recesses and methods of super-heating steam y means of which the proper proportions of oxygen and hydrogen contained in steam are at all times preserved. I g

' In the processes of super-heating steam as heretofore practiced the column of steam to be" superheated is either exposed to the action of heat in asingle tube, or is divided among a number of smaller tubes, and in either ofwhich cases the temperature of the steam is almost instantly raised to substantially double the number of degrees at which it issues from the steam enerator. One of the results of these metho as 0t superheating steam is that a large proportion of the oxyen is transformed into solids of a more or ess corrosive nature which adhere to the tubes of the superheating apparatus and parts of motors which may come into con- In my improved process I divide the col umrfof steam to be superheated by passing the same through a group of tubes of less steam to the super-heatin apparatus, and thensubject said group 0 tubes to heat of the particles of steam which come in contact tubes. The steam having passed through the first group of tubes is then preferably collected into a single body or column in which all the particles bf steam intermingle an mix together during which action all those particles or steam which came into most di- Letters Ietgnt; 1911. serial n states.

from which they have absorbed heat give 0i? :1 portion ofthe heat thus acquired which is immediately absorbed by the particles of s eamof lower temperature, thus equalizing the temperature of all the particles being in column. of steam is again subdivided by number of tubes, and preferably of less diameter, than the first'grou'p. This second group of tubes is also subjected to the ac ton of heat, preferably'of greater intensity than in the case'ot the first group, which heat again acts to paise the temperature of those particles of steam which come in contact with the inner surfaces of the walls of the tubes. After passing through the tubes of the second group of tubes the steam is again collected into a single body wherein the particles thereof again iutermingie and mix together as before. This process of alternately subdividing and re-collehting and intermixing is successively -re 1ieated until the required degree of temperature has been obtained, each successive group of tubes be ing composed of a greater number oftubes';

group immediately proceeding, and each successive group being subjected to heat, praicrably of greater intensity than its immedi. ately preceeding group.

I have herein described the application sity to the several successive groups of tubes, as a, preferable method of applying heat in practising "my improved process and method of superheating steam, but the same may be successively practiced by the application of heat: of equal intensity to each and all of the groups of tubes without departing from the spirit of my invention, and therefore I do not limit myself thereto. By thisprocess I am enabled to gradually raise the temperature of steam to almost any ,number of. degrees of tious of oxygen and hydrogen of which steam is composed.

I have in the accompanying drawings 'illustrated a convenient apparatus suitable superheating steam. in which: v

Figure 1 1s a side View partially in eleva- Patented s ta ,iais.

and preferably of less diameter than in the of heat of progressively.increasing inten heat without changing the relative propor for practising my improved process for.

tion and partially in section ofi-{anappera tubes composing the first group of tubes 'termiued. This intermixed single body OI- passing it through a group of astill greater tus suitable for practising my improved process. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the which are more in number and smaller than the tubes, 15. The headers A and A are connected by means of U-shaped tubes. B,

which are more in number and smaller than the tubes, B. And the headers, i and A,

are connected by means of U-shaped tubes,

from a. steam generator (not shown) to the first header, A, through a suitable shut-oil valve, C,-and D, indicates a discharge pipe A "series, of heating tubes arrzknged in' groups,

leading from the last header, A, through a suitable shut-otl' valve, D.

ll, indicates a discharge pipe leading from the header, A through a suitable shut-off valve, ET, and l, indicates a discharge pipe leading from the header, A, through a suitable shut ofi' valve F. s

In Fig. 1 of the drawings the valves, E

; and F, are shown as being closed, but if for any purpose it is desirable to use 'stea'in thathas only passed through the tubes, B and B, or through the tubes, B, B and B the shut-off valve, E, or F, may be opened for that purpose.

The several headers, A, A &c., are supported upon transverse supports, G, which in thrn are supported by the walls, H, H,

1.:t' the fire chamber, H, so that the U-shaped tubes,. B, B, &c., will extend downward into the fire box, H.

J, indicates grate-bars, and K, indicates a smoke iluc leading from the firebox, H. I do not, however, claim to-have invented a steam super-heater in which the heating tubes arespaced closer together in the direction of the flow of the gases, to equalize the 1 in the direction of the flow of steam there through, substantially as set-forth.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a heating chamber, a furto said chamber, and a series of groups of steam conveying tubes in said chamber,'the

tubes of each successive grou'p increasing in number and decreasm 1n diameter m-the direction of the flow o steam therethrough,

substantially as set forth. I I

3. In a steamsuperheating apparatus, a

each group of said tubes 00 aini'ng a greater" number of tubes than the preceding group,.a series of headers with which said groups of tubes communic 'te adapted to conduct steam discharged 0m one group of tubes into the next succeeding group of tubes, and means for applyin heat to said tubes, substantially as set fort -l-. In a steam su erheating apparatus, a series of heating tu es arranged in groups, each group of tubesfcontaining a greater number of tubes of lesser diameter than the group immediately preceding, a series of headers with which/said groups of tubes. communicate adapted to conduct steam discharged from one gfoupofi tubes intothe next succeeding group of tubes, and means for applying heat to said heating tubes, sub stantially as set forth. I

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

EDWVARD A. GEOGHEGAN. -Witn'esses:

J. WV. Cox, :J 0113* NxononsoN.

nace for supplying hot gases of combustion 

